Chapter 64

Anita

+15 BONUS Ava I sat at a private booth enjoying a piece of cake. Noah was spending the night at Rowan’s so I was child free tonight.

I was feeling good for some reason. In that good feeling, I decided to grab something to eat. I was in the mood for some comfort food. That’s why I was currently here eating dessert like I’ve been starved for days.

My visit to prison was eventful. I had fully expected Ethan to tell me he doesn’t want the baby. Instead I got more than I had bargained for.

His confession of love left me feeling empty in a way. He had to understand that it was too late now. I wouldn’t ever think about being with him. He tried killing me for heaven’s sake! If I go back to him, what does that say about me?

I wasn’t cruel enough to deny him his rights as a father. Even if I didn’t want to see him personally. I could always ask Nora to take the baby to him. That was the furthest I was willing to go. The biggest effort I was willing to make when it came to Ethan. Anything beyond that would be downright stupid.

I decided that I was done with men. I mean no good can come out of chasing love. I wanted love from two men and what I got was heartbreak and pain.

It was time for me to give up on love, because the way I see it, it doesn’t want me. It never has. I am learning to make peace with that. Now I was going to focus on being my best version. Focus on being the best mother.

I push another piece of cake in my mouth and moan. It felt like heaven as the taste explodes in my mouth.

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get fat? I mean you already are, but I fear you will get fatter” the shrill voice makes me snap my eyes open.

I groan when I open my eyes and find Anita staring at me with a mean look. Behind her were some of her co–workers. They laugh when they hear her insulting me, but I honestly don’t care.

Right now they were all insignificant.

She was one of Rowan’s financial advisors and as you can tell, she doesn’t like me. She and I never really understood where their hate came from Sure I was married to Rowan. Who they both wanted, but anyone with a brain could tell that Rowan hated my guts.

“I’m talking to you fat bitch” she screeches when I continue to ignore her.

“Sure, talk away. Doesn’t mean I have to listen to a fucking word you say” I respond before drinking a glass of juice.

Back when we married, I always kept quiet when she would say awful things to me. I was so desperate to please Rowan, to get him to like me, that I let his workers walk all over me. Part of me wanted to believe he was oblivious to their mean treatments, but I just can’t let myself think that he didn’t know.

“You think you’re something now that you’re apparently rich?” she sneers. “I bet you got your money by getting on your back”

At that, I laugh. These kind of women are so insecure that they think everyone gets to the top by spreading their legs.

I speak after my laugh dies down. “I’m not you, Anita”

“You bitch! How dare you” she goes to lunge at me, but I stand up and glare at her.

I was done letting these stupid idiots walk over me.

“Take one more step towards me and you’re going to regret it” I snap, my eyes narrowing in slits.” The Ava you knew took your insults lying down, I promise I won’t. You push me, I’ll push back harder and I fucking swear you won’t like what I do”

She looks behind her, before fixing her green eyes on me. She dragged her friends to my table expecting to humiliate me. The jokes on her, though.

“Are you threatening me?” she walks towards me, trying to intimidate me.

I shrug “Sure, if that’s how you want to take it”

“One word from me and Rowan will be on your ass….we’ve danced this game before Ava. You know all I have to tell Rowan is that you’ve been rude to me and he will blow up on you”

Before, that would have made me bow down. I desperately didn’t want to have any more problems with Rowan, so I would let her humiliate me. She would revel in it. Feeling powerful that she was ”

15 BONUSI give her a smile “Go ahead. I honestly don’t give a fuck. In fact, why don’t you take your phone out right now and call him? I challenge her “You think I won’t?”

I’m counting on you doing it” I reply smugly.

Slowly by slowly, the self–esteem I thought I had lost after Ethan betrayed me was starting to come back. Never will I allow a man to make me hit rock bottom again.

“What’s going on here?” a stern voice says.

I look up to find Corrine staring between us. We weren’t friends, more like acquaintances or business partner. Her father’s construction firm is the one I use when building Hope Houses. She is the owner of this restaurant. The construction firm is a family company and she was a shareholder, but the restaurants were all hers.

“This woman here is causing a disturbance, I suggest you kick her out” Anita rushes to speak. “We were just minding our own business when she started calling me names”

I smirk. Folding my hands across my chest as I watch her make a fool of herself.

Everyone knows who Corrine is. No one though, knows that we know each other. I was waiting for the show to start. Unlike Rowan, Corinne wasn’t easily fooled.

“Is that so?” she asks, her voice low.

I never let myself get too close to her. She wanted us to be friends, but at that time I thought that no one would want a loser like me as a friend. Instead I kept her at arm length. Only talking to her when business was involved.

Anita nods her head. She gives her friends a small signal and they all agree with her. What a bunch of idiots.

“Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think this entire place has no cameras?” he asks them. “I saw everything and then you dare lie to me?”

I see the moment Anita realizes she has fucked up. She swallows hard, panic etched on her face.

“It’s just a misunderstanding” she struggles to say, clutching at straws.

“Get out!”

“I said get out of my fucking restaurant! I won’t have a lowly bitch with no manners try and humiliate my friend in my own fucking restaurant” Corrine was seething and it was written all over her face.

I was suprised she called me her friend, but I push the thought away.

“Are you going to leave or do you want me to have my body guards drag you out?”

“Fine, the food here isn’t even good” she huffs.

We all know that she’s lying. This was one of the best restaurants in the city. Everyone knew that.

Anita turns around to leave, it’s only then I realize that we had attracted attention. Before she can leave, Corrine calls her name.

“And Anita?”

“What?” she snaps.

“You’re no longer welcomed at any of my restaurants. That goes for you friends too”

I smirk when her mouth falls open in shock. She then stomps away. Her friends hot on her heels.

Cursing her for getting them banned.

“Thank you for that, Corrine. She was starting to get on my damn nerves” I humph.

“It’s okay…it was no problem” she gives me a small smile.

I go to tell her something more, when my name is called.

“Ava?” I freeze at the sound of her voice.

I turn around to find Rowan’s mom standing behind me. Next to her with tears in her eyes, is the woman I thought was my mother. The woman who called me her daughter, but treated me like I was nothing.